ÄTA

English translation: alterations and additional work

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My 1999 Norstedts Svenska Ordbok defines 'akronym' as "förkortning som består av initialer och uppfattas som ett namn el. ett ord, t.ex. NATO och SIFO", but Svenska Akademians ordlista (online) has only "förkortning som består av initialer".
So as you say, Mats , confusion reigns in Swedish.
Strictly, the English (BrEng and USEng) definition of 'acronym' is as in the OED extracts I produced earlier, but some sloppy usage also uses acronym for any initialism.
We must agree to disagree on the English usage, Mats, but this has been an interesting discussion and we haven't even got onto hybrids like Benelux, radar and JPEG!

I never said that acronym and abbreviation are synonyms. Indeed they are not. But ÅTA is definitely an abbreviation. It may also be an acronym. Anyway, Anya didn't actually claim it was an abbreviation - she just asked for one :-)

Mats, I agree with you that abbreviation and acronym are not synonymous. As I said, an acronym is a *type* of abbreviation.

I disagree however, when you say ÄTA is an acronym, solely because it consists of the initials of 3 words. It may be, depending on how it is pronounced. If you can assure me that it is generally pronounced ’äta’ (i.e. same as the Swedish for ’eat’), then I can agree.

I wonder if we are arguing because there is no concept of an initialism in Swedish and 'akronym' is applied to all initial letter abbreviations?

The fact the acronym is A SORT OF abbreviation does not suggest that a and a are synonyms. You don't in earnest equalize pump and heart only because the heart is A SORT OF pump, do you? Anya's term is still an ancronym (consisting of the initials of 3 words)

Thus Acronym is a type of Abbreviation as Chris S says.
So if ÄTA is pronounced "äta" in Swedish it is an acronym, but if its letters are pronounced separately "Ä.T.A." then it is an Initialism; both versions are Abbreviations.
Only someone familiar with current spoken Swedish in the Construction Industry can tell us if it is an Acronym. Meanwhile Anya rightly used Abbreviation.

-> You do not seem to understand here Sven. Another unprofessional, uninformed, and entirely unnecessary comment. A quick look at the reference will show those interested there is an abbreviation. You fail to read my suggestion-'See where this leads'

agree

Anna Herbst: I prefer changes to correctional - and, yes, I looked up the reference with its wealth of translated terms. Thanks, Deane, will save it!

14 hrs

-> Thanks Anna! You're welcome (And I keep your references,too)

agree

Mats Wiman: Although the acdonym (Why not CAW?) is missing (Maybe it does not exist :-))

19 hrs

-> Thanks Mats! I'll rely on Michael...

agree

Helen Johnson: This is how I've always translated it (not correctional - I've always understood the "change" aspect to mean that a change has been made to what was previously planned, i.e. a change of mind rather than change something to correct an error)

Explanation:I am pretty sure there is no equivalent English abbreviation.
Deane has ingeniously found one in an MSc thesis by a Swede, who may well have made it up for the purposes of the thesis.
When I was working on this sort of contract the general term was "Variations", but "Changes" was almost as prevalent.
Googling "Changes and additional work" produces one usage but no abbreviation.
I advise you translate this as "Changes and Additional Work", "Variations" or "Changes" and not to use CAW as it will at best confuse, at worst, irritate.

Deane GOLTERMANN: Good idea Michael, I didn't really find much in the way of CAW for this, but noted 'variations', but chose this as alsorather prevalent. Which is why one can only advise -- 'See where this leads':

1 hr

-> I agree, Deane. My main point was to steer Anya away from the abbreviation CAW, which I was pleased to note you avoided recommending.

-> Anya asked for an English equivalent abbreviation. I said that there isn't one. I see that (blank) does not fit Rule 1.4, but would be glad of your advice on how to give a negative answer and still get POINTS!!